K. -2-:

[Appendix C.

College, Brondesbury and Trenton Schools, and the Latter-day Saints' Agricultural College near Hastings. The following table gives details in Board and Roman Catholic schools, such as classification in the various standards, the average age of pupils, and the proportion of pupils in each class from Standard I to Standard VI: —

Public Schools.

Roman Catholic Schools.

Number of Pupils in Standards compared with every 100 in Standard I. Board Roman Catholic Schools. Schools. Standard I ... ... ... ... ... 100-0 100-0 II ... ... ... ... ' ... 98-2 100*0 ill ... ... ... ... ... 95-2 79-2 IV ... ... ... ' ... ... 82-6 98-4 V ... ... ... ... ... 73-3 75-2 VI ... ... ... ... ... 47-8 880 A comparison of the results for 1913 with the above shows there has been a fair improvement in the proportionate number of children in the higher classes and in the standards as a whole. The number of pupils in the preparatory classes shows a corresponding decrease. It is interesting to find under a perfectly free system of classification that the percentage of children in standard classes is on the increase. According to the Minister's report for 1913 the preparatory classes for the Dominion contained 3622 per cent, of the roll. For this district the percentage in the preparatory classes was 3444, or I'7B per cent, better than the Dominion average. The grouping of the school life into three periods such as the regulations now recognize is likely to affect the classification in the direction indicated in the Board schools. Accommodation. —The increase in the school attendance leads on to the question of school accommodation, and whether full provision has been made for the growing requirements of the district. During the past jear new school buildings were opened at Napier West, Mahora South (Hastings), Matawai, and Woodlands Road (near Woodville). Additions were also made to

XIV

Present at Roll. Annual Examination, i Average Per Cent, of ' Per Cent, of \ £ cl „S ent f.° f Age. i Roll, 1914. Roll, 1918. : Ko1 . ,i," ! i minion, 1913. Standard VII VI .. v .. IV .. Ill .. II .. I .. 111 1.37 775 764 1,188 1,163 1.310 1.321 1,543 1,491 1,593 1.535 1,621 1.551 4,309 4,086 Yrs. mos. 15 3 113 1-12 1-34 14 3 6-19 604 6-02 13 1 9-50 8-85 8-97 12 2 10-71 11-11 10-84 11 1 12-31 11-84 11-90 10 3 12-73 13-18 11-32 9 I 12-96 12-90 12-39. 7 I 31-44 - 34-96 36-22 . Preparatory Roman. Catholic schools. . Others 12,510 12.048 .1,124 1.068 439 405 9 10* 9 9* Totals 14.073 13,52!

Roll. Present at the Annual Average Age. Examination. Standard VII VI V IV III 1 Preparatory 18 110 94 123 99 129 125 426 13 110 89 113 94 123 118 408 Yrs. mos. 15 10 14 5 13 7 12 6 II 3 10 5 8 8 6 4 1.124 1,068 9 9* * Mean of average aj ,e.